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Kâzım Öztürk
in 1998 | order = 6th President of the Democratic Republic of Kurdistan | term_start = November 25th, 2010 | term_end = | vicepresident = |predecessor = Şahnaz Özlem | successor = | order2 = 5th General Secretary of the Kurdistan Workers Party | term_start2 = December 17th, 2008 | term_end2 = | vicepresident = | predecessor2 = Ramazan Jwan | successor2 = | order4 = Chairman of the State Security Committee | term_start4 = September 20th, 1984 | term_end4 = November 25th, 2008 | president4 = Abdullah Öcalan/Yavuz Peynirci/Şahnaz Özlem | predecessor4 = N/A | successor4 = Mustafa Özkök |birth_date = Şahin Ömar Uzun June 13th, 1949 (65) | birth_place = Diyarbakır, Turkey | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = Leyla Uzun | party = Kurdistan Workers Party | children = None | alma_mater = | profession = Political activist/terrorist | religion = Atheist | signature = | footnotes = |alma mater = }} (born June 13th, 1959) is the current President of the Democratic Republic of Kurdistan, as well as being General Secretary of the Kurdistan Workers Party. He has previously held the position of the Chairman of the State Security Committee for over twenty four years. Uzun was born in Diyarbakır in Turkey, and was involved in radical Kurdish left wing activities during the 1970's. Uzun joined the Kurdistan Workers Party in 1975, receiving KGB training prior to the PKK coup of the Turkish government and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Kurdistan, swiftly taking a position in the People's Defence Force. During the Kurdish-Turkish war Uzun was appointed Chairman of the State Security Committee, the domestic intelligence agency of Kurdistan. As head of the SSC Uzun was able to cultivate a dominant position in the Kurdish government. In 1991 he led a bloodless coup against the General Secretary Şahnaz Özlem due to the latters mismanagement of the economy, with the Central Committee placing him into the position instead. In 2010 the Central Committee voted for him to be president in place of . As General Secretary Uzuns 6 year term has been controversial. Many have derided him for giving greater power to the head of state and the SSC. Critics have derided him for taking a more Stalinist stance in his policies in contrast to the Marxist-Lenin ideology his predecessors possessed. Internationally his autocratic regime and human rights records has been widely criticised, as well as his increased military action into Iraq. Uzun has also been called out for weakening diplomatic relations between neighbouring states. Early life According to his official government profile Şahin Uzun was born in the city of Diyarbakır in a middle class family, with his father being a history teacher. His parents both defined themselves as ethnically Kurdish, Uzun was educated at the Dicle University, but was expelled shortly afterwards after engaging in violent protest. Uzun reportadly read the Communist Manifesto at 15, stating that "Communism is the only way forward for Turkey". Uzun became a devout Marxist as well as possessing some sympathy towards the Kurdish Nationalism movement. Uzun joined the Kurdistan Workers Party in 1979 through a mutual friend of both Uzun's and party founder Abdullah Öcalan. During the 1980 coup Uzun was contacted by the KGB to keep control over the government, and subsequently was able to secure the position of Chairman of the National Defence Committee of Kurdistan. Political positions Category:Individuals Category:Democratic Republic of Kurdistan